Entertainment active at top end of market
By Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, 11/17/2008 12:00:00 AM
HIGH POINT — Although the marketplace is awash in $399 television consoles that continue to sell briskly, the upper end of the entertainment furniture market is doing quite nicely in its own right, thanks to a variety of innovative features and styling.
Upper-end resources say the flat-panel television phenomenon is helping them just as much as those who promote promotional and mid-priced goods because high-end consumers can afford to spend more on the furniture that goes with their TV purchase.
“Our entertainment business has remained strong,” said Igor Jukanovic, director of marketing services at Marge Carson.
“And our new introductions here at market (October High Point) were well-received.”
Jukanovic says the emphasis on large-scale designs at Marge Carson — where consoles retail for $3,000 and up and wall systems easily top $15,000 — allows the company to provide the features commonly found on lower-priced units, but add the styling and hand-produced details that aren't found anywhere else.
Upper-end resources also have developed units that can be heavily customized, which also is a boon for higher-income consumers and the interior designers they often employ.
Designing growth
“Our interior design business is way ahead of last year, and one big reason is because interior designers enjoy the customization that we can offer,” added Rob Sligh, president of Sligh Furniture.
Sligh's High Point market introductions included a wall system with a motorized plasma TV lift unit that retails for about $10,000, as well as a TV console program that allows consumers to choose the size, height and storage features of their customized unit.
Customization took center stage last month at Harden Furniture's High Point showroom, where the company unveiled its Perfect Fit entertainment wall system. It allows consumers to choose from a variety of widths, depths, heights and drawer sizes, among other things.
“Whether they are using an interior designer or not, today's high-end consumer wants it the way they want it,” said CEO Greg Harden.
Harden said the variety of heights appears to be the most popular element of customization because it allows the wall system to fit in a variety of ceiling heights.
Plus, any customized system is available from Harden's upstate New York factory in six weeks.
“Their desire for customization is almost insatiable and gives U.S. producers like Harden a home-court advantage,” he said.
Armoires still active
While features such as wire management, ventilation and extensive media storage are commonplace throughout entertainment pieces at all price points, the high end remains something of a bastion for the traditional bedroom armoire — a product that has all but disappeared from promotional and mid-priced lines.
Jukanovic said virtually all of Marge Carson's bedroom suites include an armoire that has been designed to accommodate flat-panel televisions.
“We still sell an armoire almost every time we sell a bedroom group,” he said.
At Hekman, the entertainment furniture emphasis in recent years has shifted to TV consoles and wall systems, said Neil McKenzie, vice president of sales and marketing.
McKenzie said tall consoles, such as the 37-inch-high model that's part of the new Rue du Bac collection, are rapidly gaining in popularity with Hekman customers.
Hekman's consoles typically retail for $1,099 and up, while its larger wall systems carry retail tags of $5,000 or more.
Thomasville, meanwhile, successfully launched a modular wall system last month called Multi Media. The group, which is being made at its factory in Lenoir, N.C., features a dozen pieces in four finishes — black, chocolate brown and light and dark cherry.
SKUs can be combined to create a wall system as large or as small as the customer likes. A four-piece unit including console, hutch and two side piers would retail for $5,000.
“We want to allow our dealer plenty of choices and not take up a lot of floor space,” said Thomasville President Ed Teplitz. He said sets also will be inventoried in Thomasville and ready to ship in December.
